Dessi Price spends her days in the bustling corridors of Bozell, an international public relations and advertising agency headquartered in Omaha. The senior art director of the company and herself a food stylist and photographer, Price boasts a portfolio that includes collaborations with such heavyweight brands as Panda Express, the fast casual Chinese restaurant chain, Sun Pacific’s Cuties Citrus, the easy-to-peel clementine oranges, and Mighties kiwis. Price’s journey from her childhood in Eastern Europe to the pinnacle of an advertising firm in the United States exemplifies a tale of passion, perseverance, and culinary exploration.
“Originally from Bulgaria, I moved to the States for college with an interest in art,” Price recalled, her journey beginning with an enrollment in a graphic design program at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. This move created an opportunity for her to step into a world where her love for food would merge with her artistic skill. Price’s career took a pivotal turn when she landed a job at Salt Lake Magazine in Utah, where her friendship with the then executive editor, Mary Brown Malouf, and engagements with the Food Network kindled her passion for cooking.
“I struggled initially with Bulgarian recipes in the U.S. due to vague instructions, but following clear, structured recipes made a significant difference,” Price shared, outlining the challenges and eventual triumphs that shaped her culinary skills.
Price didn’t stop at self-taught experimentation; she dove deeper by attending recreational cooking classes at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. “Spending a week immersed in cooking every day was an incredible experience,” she said. She dedicated that time to mastering new culinary techniques and dishes. Experiencing this hands-on exploration of the culinary arts deepened Price’s understanding of food as a universal language and connector of memories—serendipitously a central element of Bulgarian hospitality.
Conveying messages that are often playful and fun is Price’s creative philosophy. She aims to elicit smiles and evoke childhood memories of playing with food. Using this approach led her to create mesmerizing stop-motion videos that bridge the gap between art and food.
“The [COVID-19] pandemic opened up opportunities for connection and learning among artists,” Price shared, emphasizing that remote collaborations and online classes enriched her artistic journey, specifically when exploring the tactile act of creating lettering with food.
Price acknowledged the impact of people like Becca Clason, renowned for her exquisite food lettering stop-motion, Coco Peri, the queen of stop-motion, and Lauren Hom, known for hand lettering and tactile lettering with food and described by Price as “a beacon of inspiration.” Price’s admiration for these artists underlines her dedication to continual learning and the exploration of food and stop-motion artistry.
While reflecting on her professional journey, Price cherishes a decade-long collaboration with the brand designer and public speaker Andrea Trew. The two worked together at Bailey Lauerman, an integrated marketing, design, PR, social, digital, and production agency. Price and Trew worked in tandem, pioneering the integration of stop-motion animation in social media content with Cuties Citrus and other subjects.
“Our creative process for social media began with advanced planning; we designed a content calendar around holidays and promotions, showcasing fruit attractively,” Trew shared about the artistic approach that defined their collaborative success. The duo was dedicated to creating an exclusive studio space within Bailey Lauerman, which involved Price and Trew investing in specialized equipment and leveraging Price’s culinary and photographic skills to enhance their creative output.
As Price continues her journey at Bozell, she remains committed to bringing her passion and skills to every project, aiming for more brand collaborations in the near future. “While my passion projects are akin to a hobby, I aim for more brand collaborations,” she stated, stressing that she wants to blend her love for food and art in innovative ways.
Price’s story is a testament to the power of the passion, collaboration, and boundless potential of creative exploration. From Bulgaria to Utah, New York, and Nebraska, her journey reflects an ambitious pursuit of excellence, due in large part to Price’s love and reverence for food.
In a world where the fusion of culinary arts and visual storytelling continues to captivate and inspire, Price stands out as a beacon of innovation and creativity.
To learn more, follow @dessi005 on Instagram and visit dessidesigns.com.
This article originally appeared in the June 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
